First Post-Delisting Monitoring Report (September 2014)

Under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must monitor delisted species for at least five years after delisting. In February 2008 we completed a monitoring plan for the gray wolf Western Great Lakes DPS; implementing the monitoring plan was delayed, however, until delisting became effective in January 2012.

This is the first of five annual reports to summarize the best available information on the status of gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes area. We plan to complete subsequent reports at approximately 12-month intervals from this report’s completion date.

January 20, 2009: Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff, issued a memorandum that directed federal agencies to withdraw all regulations that had not been published in the Federal Register so that they can be reviewed and approved by a department or agency head appointed by the President. Therefore, the final rule to delist the Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS (which was announced on Jan. 14) was withdrawn to allow for further review.

August 9, 2006 - Judge rules against the Service in court case brought by the Humane Society of the U.S. and others that challenged permits issued to Michigan and Wisconsin for use of lethal measures to control wolf depredations.